Three Days, Two Years

Prologue

         Ace watched as his baby brother fought against the marines and continued to run to him, despite his constant shouts for Luffy to go home, to save himself, that this was stupid, that he's going to die. He watched as marine after marine tried to slash at Luffy, as some blows connected, as Luffy just continued as if he didn't feel it. He watched as a marine somehow ended up stabbing through Luffy's side, as he just stood there, looked down, yanked his shirt off and tied it around himself, and continued running. Ace couldn't take it. He begged for Luffy to go home, to just leave him, but no matter what he said, Luffy kept running.

       "ACE!" Luffy cried, "I'M GOING TO SAVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT!" Tears rolled down Ace's face as he watched his brother fight and push his past it's limits. Sure he was made of rubber, but there was no way Luffy wasn't tired, wasn't aching, wasn't in any pain whatsoever. 

       "GO HOME, LUFFY!" Ace screamed, and again Luffy didn't listen. Of course, Ace wanted to be saved, but not at the expense of his little brother. He squeezed his eyes shut and started muttering, hoping that there was someone, anyone at all, listening. "Please, please, please  let him live, don't let him die, please just someone protect my brother..." When he opened his eyes, Luffy was still running, but there was even more determination in his dark brown eyes now.

       Luffy ran and ran, ignoring the fatigue that tugged on his every muscle. Just save Ace, Luffy thought to himself, just save Ace and when this is over and he's safe you can rest. Every step he ran was like a knife severing every nerve in his foot, over and over again, but he didn't care. He just couldn't lose his brother. Not again. He already lost Sabo, he simply couldn't lose Ace. He was the only family he had left, Garp was dead to him. He tried to stop Luffy from saving Ace, so Luffy's grandfather was dead to him. Every slash from the swords of the marines felt like an electrical shock, and his stab wound was throbbing, and he knew that he was going to run out of energy soon. Just keep running, don't slow down, just keep running.

       Eventually, Luffy got to his older brother, got him free, and now the two were fighting off the marines together. Ace watched as Luffy punched, kicked, and even tore swords from some of the marine's hands and used them. He was slightly impressed, Luffy had become a much better fighter from when they were kids. Ace also noticed that his younger brother seemed to be panting harder than usual, and blood seemed to cover over three-fourths of Luffy's body. He looked ready to collapse, and that terrified Ace. In a loud whoosh Ace made a wall of fire between him and Luffy, and the marines. He quickly grabbed his brother, threw him over his shoulder, and as soon as he removed the fire wall, he ran as fast as possible, pushing through the marines, and taking as many cuts from the swords as he could to protect his brother. 

       "Hold on, Luffy, I'm gonna get you outa' here, just hold on... You're okay, just hold on..." Ace continued to tell Luffy, as he pushed harder, ran faster, and just wanted to keep his baby brother safe. Meanwhile Luffy was struggling to stay awake, as the blood loss was now getting to him. He felt like fainting, his head was dizzy, and he couldn't really think straight. Although, he managed to look up, and see Admiral Akainu was trailing behind them. A knot formed in his stomach.

      "A-Ace... Ace... ACE!" Luffy cried, trying to get his brother's attention. Ace turned his head slightly.

      "What's wrong?" Ace asked, sensing the panic in Luffy's voice. He pushed past another marine, and brushed his raven hair out of his eyes.

      "Akainu!" Luffy croaked, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. Ace paled, knowing he couldn't outrun him. He made a sharp right, and sprinted towards the ships that were frozen in place. When they were a decent distance from the other marines, Ace gently placed sat Luffy on the ice and turned. Akainu was getting closer, but he was still a ways away. Ace turned back to his brother, crouched, and pushed his jet-black hair out of his face. Ace assessed the wound on Luffy's head, that now spilled blood down the seventeen-year-old's face. Luffy's scar was barely visible under the blood, and Ace noticed the sleepiness in the boy's eyes.

       "Luffy, I need you to stay awake, okay? I know you're tired, but I need you to stay conscious, alright?" Ace muttered softly. Luffy dizzily nodded, and looked pleadingly at Ace.

       "P-Please don't die..." Luffy whimpered. Ace felt his heart skip a beat as he was painfully reminded of younger Luffy, clinging to ten-year-old Ace, sobbing, and pleading with him to promise not to die.

       "O-okay, okay, I won't. I promise," Ace choked out, ruffling his brother's hair. He stood and pivoted to face Akainu, who was now only a hundred yards away. With every passing second, Ace's determination to make sure Luffy lived grew stronger, and his stance grew taller. Within seconds, the twenty-year-old was face to face with the Admiral, and he felt a knot grow in his stomach. He knew this wasn't going to end well.

       The two battled, and eventually, Ace fell. He heard Luffy cry out, and he felt his heart shatter. He managed to slightly turn his head, and noticed the Admiral was storming toward the smaller boy. He forced himself up slowly, just focusing on making sure Luffy was alright. He saw the Admiral's fist raise, and bolted. He forced his body to move, and he took the magma-punch that was meant for his little brother. 

       Luffy looked up. The Admiral's fist had gone directly through Ace's body, and when he removed it, there was a gaping hole. The boys locked eyes.

       "ACE!" Luffy screamed. He felt his heart begin to race. Ace fell to his knees, and forward onto Luffy.

       "I-it's okay, Luffy..." he said, leaning his chin on his brother's shoulder. "Luffy..." the younger boy clung to him, as one clings to the last bit of sanity they have. Ace felt Luffy's tears drip off of his chin, and began to cry himself. "Thank you... for loving someone like me. Someone who doesn't deserve it..."

       Ace's mind flashed back to when he had met the younger boy, and how despite the pain he had caused him, and the trouble he had gotten him into, Luffy still loved Ace with all his heart. How the smaller one had begged to be friends with him, and how they went on all sorts of adventures together. 

       Ace felt content as he went through every good event that had happened to him during his life. His mind jumped from memory to memory, and he sighed as he eased into the dreamless sleep of death.

       His body slipped from Luffy's grip, and he lay on the ground, blood pooling around him.

       "A-Ace..." Luffy began, staring at his brother's lifeless body. "A-Ace, w-wake up..." The smaller boy began to whimper, and felt waves of pain flow through his body. "Ace... ACE!" he screamed. His tears mixed with the blood that also covered his face. He screamed his brother's name and wailed, wishing desperately for him to wake up.

       "He's dead, boy," a gruff voice declared loudly. Luffy looked up through the watery haze in his eyes. Akainu stood tall, his fist already spilling magma. Overcome with rage and the need to avenge his brother, Luffy attempted to stand, but his legs gave out. He kneeled before the Admiral, and watched as the magma-fist rushed towards him. He didn't have time to think before the impact, and then the darkness.

       Jinbei rushed over to the two lifeless bodies laying side by side. 

       "LUFFY! ACE!" he cried, falling to his knees before them. He pushed his fingers to their necks, but there was no pulse. He carefully flipped Ace onto his back, and saw the gaping hole in his chest. He knew that he was gone. He turned over to the smaller boy, and moved his hair out of his eyes. Luffy's eyes were still open, and they stared into the sky, dull and empty. Jinbei gently pressed his ear against the boy's chest, listening for any sound whatsoever. There was nothing to be heard. He sat up slowly, tears rushing down his face. He carefully reached over and closed his eyes. He gently wiped the dirt and blood from the boy's tear-stained face, and stood.

        "IT'S THE RED HAIR PIRATES!" someone shouted behind him. Jinbei looked up, and sure enough, the crew of Red-Hair Shanks loomed ominously, with Shanks looking more powerful than he could ever imagine. 

       He declared the war as over, and descended toward the two brothers. He slowly kneeled by Luffy, grabbed the straw-hat off of the ground and delicately dusted it off. He gently placed it over Luffy's face, and wasn't surprised to find that he was crying. He stood and walked over to Ace. He bent over, and picked the twenty-year-old up, and carried him towards the White-beard pirates. Jinbei did the same to Luffy, but instead left Marineford with him.